Summary
This methodological study presents a novel SMRT sequencing approach for high-resolution profiling of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities, addressing long-standing limitations in resolution and specificity of SSU and ITS sequencing methods. By targeting a longer genomic fragment and employing single-molecule real-time sequencing, the method successfully discriminates closely related AMF species and enables tracking of inoculated strains in natural communities. The work reveals that AMF inoculation can substantially alter native fungal communities, with introduced strains potentially displacing local populations.
UK applicability
The methodology is directly applicable to UK soil science research and agricultural microbiome studies, providing a standardised tool for characterising AMF communities in diverse UK soil and farming contexts. The findings on inoculation impacts may inform future UK soil management and biofertiliser recommendations.
Key measures
Molecular identification and differentiation of AMF species using SMRT sequencing of a 1.5-kb amplicon spanning SSU-ITS-LSU regions; detection of AMF families; discrimination of closely related species; tracking of inoculated versus native AMF strains
Outcomes reported
The study developed and validated a novel SMRT sequencing-based method for detecting and discriminating arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) species at higher resolution than previous SSU or ITS approaches. The methodology was tested on soil and root samples and demonstrated the ability to trace introduced AMF inocula and reveal competitive displacement of native strains by introduced inocula.
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